The New Hemi Charger

When DaimlerChrysler announced that a "new" Hemi Charger would be available in the showrooms in mid-2005, the '06 Charger faced mixed reviews. From the beginning, the old-school enthusiasts staunchly opposed having a four-door vehicle wear the name of Dodge's most famed musclecar. On the other side of the debate are the believers that feel the aggressive front end, long hood, and short rear-deck are true signatures of the musclecar era. They feel the all-new Charger is sporty, sexy, bold, and powerful.

According to Dodge's Trevor Creed, "The new Dodge Charger is all about celebrating the American musclecar and going places in something special." Darryl Jackson, vice-president of Dodge Marketing, adds, "The Charger name is powerful and draws from the Dodge brand's proud performance heritage. We have a tremendous amount of equity and name recognition for both of these entities [Charger and Hemi]. Combined, today's all-new Dodge Charger and Hemi engine effectively mark the return of modern American muscle."

DaimlerChrysler feels the heritage gamble will be a valuable asset. It seems the Chrysler Group received 25,000 orders and identified more than 85,000 potential buyers for the '06 Dodge Charger sedan in only the first few days. Not even the Chrysler 300 sedan--the automaker's biggest hit in years--posted such strong early numbers.

But what makes the new Charger such a hit with consumers? Is it the modern, 340hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that provides 390 lb-ft of torque? When full V-8 power is not needed, the multi-displacement system on board the engine seamlessly deactivates four cylinders in just 40 milliseconds. That's quicker than the blink of an eye, improving fuel economy by as much as 20 percent. Maybe it's the fact the Hemi engine is mated to a fully automatic five-speed transmission with what DC calls an AutoStick shifter. According to DC, the AutoStick basically puts the shifting controls in the hands of the driver. Maybe it's because the all-new '06 Charger features rear-wheel-drive performance and handling, a near 50/50 weight distribution, and a unique suspension that provides just the right level of driving characteristics for all Charger customers. Whatever the reason, the Dodge Charger is here to stay.

We recently had a chance to find out for ourselves what the hubbub was all about. We took a new Charger and gave it a good ol' enthusiast's version of a testdrive. This means it saw time at the dragstrip, made a couple trips around a road course, and even took the family to the grocery store. Our assessments may surprise some; others may even think we're nuts. testing an automobile is a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Going Fast--With TurnsWhen we were offered the opportunity to take the Charger around the 3.27-mile road course at Virginia International Raceway, we jumped at the chance. To get to the track, we drove through the scenic countryside to get a feel for how well the Charger handled the somewhat twisty roads--a precursor to the road course. Once at the track, we were given a briefing about the do's and don'ts of the facility. Do's: have fun, be careful. Don'ts: hit the wall and crash. That was simple enough. After strapping into the car, our first couple trips around the facility were at a somewhat leisurely pace so we could see where the corners were; we didn't want to hit one slightly faster than we should have. After we felt comfortable with the car and track, we started to edge up on the throttle pedal.

The Hemi is definitely at home when above 2,700 rpm. The response is more than adequate for a four-door sedan. Below that, we would like to see an improvement. The AutoStick was a welcomed option, especially when it came time to downshift into the corners. When cruising the long straightaway, the triple-digit speeds felt more than stable--in like it didn't even feel like triple digits. Even at a hefty 4,000 pounds, the car handled the sharp corners quite well.

The standard suspension on the Charger R/T model includes 18-inch touring tires and wheels, and specially tuned dampers for a very stable ride. The optional Road/Track Performance Group, which our Charger had, is tuned specifically for firm steering and handling, and provides a glued-to-the-road feeling. This optional package is available on the Hemi-equipped Charger R/T model, and offers 18-inch Michelin MXM4 all-season performance tires, improved performance steering, and Nivomat self-leveling shock absorbers. Although not part of the suspension, a specially tuned performance-exhaust-and-induction system is included with the Road/Track Performance Group.

9/32After our night at the local drag strip, we concluded the Charger is more at home on a road course or cruising down the highway. Our 2.33 60-foot time and our best eighth-mile e.t. of 9.63 left us disappointed.

Going Fast--Without TurnsWe were hoping that with a 340hp V-8, we could really make an impression at the local drag strip. Unfortunately, the impression was not as positive as we had hoped. The launching capabilities of the Charger definitely had us scratching our heads. The Charger's ESP (Electronic Stability Program) is designed to detect a critical driving situation and aid in avoiding any problems. It automatically enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability in adverse driving conditions. ESP constantly compares the driver's intended course with the vehicle's actual course and compensates for any differences. We had hoped to turn off the ESP and have a little more control of the car's functions, such as manual shifting the automatic transmission using the AutoStick. Unfortunately, the transmission still shifted itself, even when the AutoStick was not shifted. The ESP also controls the all-speed Traction Control System (TCS). Apparently, this is the reason for the sluggish launch. The TCS doesn't allow the Charger full-throttle acceleration from a dead stop.

We tried to launch the car using every possible scenario, from idle through having the tires spin while waiting for the light to turn green. The best 60-foot time we could muster was 2.33 seconds. We had hoped for at least 2.1 or close to it. The problem was the hesitation off the line. We did our testing at Lakeland Motorsports Park, an eighth-mile dragstrip. the best eighth-mile e.t. of the evening was a 9.63. When converted to quarter-mile times, that translates into roughly a 15.12 e.t. We stuck our tails between our legs and went home. We surmised the car is more at home on the road course.

FAST FACTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Body Style:

{{{Sedan}}}

Assembly Plant:

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

ENGINE: 3.5-LITER, HIGH-OUTPUT, SOHC 24-VALVE V-6

Availability:

Standard with SE and SXT package

Displacement:

214.7 ci

Fuel Injection:

Sequential, multi-port, electronic

Compression Ratio:

10.0:1

Power (SAE net):

250 bhp @ 6,400 rpm

Torque (SAE net):

250 lb-ft @ 3,800 rpm

Max. Engine Speed:

6,800 rpm (electronically limited)

Fuel Requirement:

89 octane, recommended; 87 octane, acceptable

Estimated EPA Fuel Economy mpg (City/Hwy):

19/27

ENGINE: 5.7-LITER, HEMI MULTI-DISPLACEMENT V-8

Availability:

Standard with R/T package

Displacement:

345 ci

Compression Ratio:

9.6:1

Power (SAE net):

340 bhp @ 5,000 rpm

Torque (SAE net):

390 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Max. Engine Speed:

5,800 rpm (electronically limited)

Fuel Requirement:

89 octane, recommended; 87 octane, acceptable

Estimated EPA Fuel Economy mpg (City/Hwy):

17/25

TRANSMISSION: AUTOMATIC, FIVE-SPEED OVERDRIVE (W5A580)

Availability:

Standard for all

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES(a)

Wheelbase:

120.0

FUEL TANK CAPACITY:

SE and SXT package

18 gallon

R/T

19 gallon

ACCOMMODATIONS

Seating Capacity, F/R:

2/3

TIRES

SE and SXT Package Standard Size:

P215/65R1798

Optional SXT Package Size and type:

P225/60R18H 99H

R/T Standard Size:

P225/60R18H 99H

Road/Track Performance Group Package Size:

P235/55R18

{{{Daytona}}} R/T Package Size:

P235/55R18

WHEELS

SE

Standard Type and material:

Stamped-steel

Size:

17x7

SXT Package

Standard Type and material:

Machined-aluminum

Size:

17x7.0

Optional

Type and material:

Polished-aluminum

Size:

18x7.5

R/T Standard

Type and material:

Polished-aluminum

Size:

18x7.5

Standard with Road/Track Performance Group and Daytona R/T Package

Type and material:

Polished aluminum with black-painted pockets

Size:

18x7.5

10/32

Safety and Security featuresThe all-new Charger carries more safety features than you can shake a stick at. an advanced multi-stage air bag, all-speed Traction Control System (TCS), antilock brake system, brake assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), safety cage body, and side impact door beams are standard on the vehicle.

The Daily GrindThe following week we drove the Charger to family functions, work, and out on the town Saturday night. The daily 45-minute commute in traffic was more than comfortable, and the Hemi was quite capable at keeping us in the fast lane. We really liked the exhaust note emitting from the rear of the car, as it produced a nice rumble that was not a droning sound that annoyed passengers. When the throttle was pushed to the floor, a healthy exhaust tone let everyone know they had just been passed by a Hemi. The car also garnered its fair share of looks when pulling into the local grocery store.

Driving the car with the MDS system helped the Hemi, in our case, reach an average gas mileage of 19-20 mpg--not bad for a V-8-powered car with a heavy-footed driver. The MDS system shuts down four cylinders for increased fuel economy. The transition is seamless while driving, and you do not feel any change in engine characteristics.

The driver-oriented cockpit design positions the driver's controls and information directly in line of sight and within easy reach. The silver-ringed electroluminescent gauges are easy-to-read and quite pleasing to the eyes at night. The Charger's seating is about 2 inches higher than normal, and is sculpted for comfort and support. The seat featured an almost complete electronic control, except for the manual lumbar adjustment, which we felt was a disappointment given the rest of the car's features. If you are a large person, the sunroof may be a bit of an issue. Our 6-foot-tall operator missed the extra inch or so of lost headroom confiscated to accommodate the sunroof. Options such as the DVD-based navigation system and high-quality AM/FM/CD sound system keep the driver informed and entertained.

32/32

Our ThoughtsThe '06 Charger is definitely a car that Dodge can be proud of. It demands respect on the road and gets it. Sure, it may not be the dragstrip stalker reminiscent of its previous iteration, but the European influences felt by the Mercedes guidance make this sedan a serious contender for honors as a true performance sedan. So, if you're looking for a four-door sedan that can take the kids to school, get the groceries, and corner like there's no tomorrow, the Dodge Charger may just be your next car.